


#38 - This is Love

by angelsandbrowncoats



Series: Eurovision 2017 Fanfic Challenge [6]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Future Fic, M/M, pseudoscience my old friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 21:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10862613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelsandbrowncoats/pseuds/angelsandbrowncoats
Summary: Years after their mutual betrayal, Ed and Oswald team up with some of the other rogues for a major heist. When the Bat locks the two of them in a room together, the tension is more than awkward.This is part of my Eurovision 2017 Fanfic Challenge to write stories based on each song and release them in the order of my song rankings.





	#38 - This is Love

**Author's Note:**

> If you are following this series, you will soon notice just how much I like future!Nygmobblepot reconciliation stories. I think I may have a problem.

This was not supposed to happen.

Well, that sentence could be applied to a lot of things about the situation Ed found himself in. He liked plans, and this violated at least six separate ones of his.

1\. His part in the plot on hand had most assuredly been ruined. Yes, he was still serving as a distraction, but not in a way of his choosing.

2\. He was trapped. One of the things he had been training to avoid even before his foray into crime was this very scenario. He had learned to pick locks, he had learned to untie knots at odd angles, he had learned to break zip ties, he had learned every trick he could think of and yet: Here. He. Was.

3\. His contingency plan for dealing with the Batman, formed after his first less-than-pleasant encounter, had completely and utterly failed him.

4\. His plan to betray the Joker, who he didn't particularly like in the first place, sure as hell wasn't going to work.

5\. He was crying, something that he hated to do in front of both friends and foes. That was something he had been working on, but clearly he wasn't there yet.

6\. Most importantly, one of his lifelong plans had been shattered: his cellmate was none other than the Penguin, a man he had sworn never to be in a one-on-one situation with again.

"I don't suppose you know a clever way to escape?"

Ed shook his head, unwilling to speak for fear of what he might say. Five years of watching Oswald from a distance, knowing he was unwelcome any closer, had not passed without pain. Having a distinct lack of positive relationships did that to a person. Or maybe...

Maybe it had more to do with something that had gone down awhile back. With the emergence of some more... _otherworldly_ villains around the planet, life in Gotham had gotten even more interesting than usual. One such instance occurred sometime ago when some so-called magical being had "cursed the city with love" which sounded stupid until he remembered how much smarter than everyone else he was. The witch had created something called a 'soulmate mark' that was basically a tattoo on your non-dominant forearm, consisting of the first words your soulmate would say directly to you. This had, naturally, caused break ups and divorces across the city as people doubted their lovers. Ed, although he told himself the whole thing was nonsense, couldn't shake the memory of _"Can I help you?"_ etched across his skin in a rich violet.

He wondered if Oswald had noticed. If he had even remembered what Ed had said to him.

"Well we might as well entertain ourselves if we're to be stuck here until our captor graces us with his presence," Oswald sighed, lowering himself carefully onto the concrete floor of their cell, "How have you been?"

Ed blinked. Oswald was _not_ trying to engage in small talk with _him_ of all people in _here_ of all places.

"What? I know your darkest secrets yet you feel the need to hold back on the worthless details?"

Shrugging, Ed made to push his glasses up only to remember he wasn't wearing any, "Things have been alright. Quiet, lately, but I've been working on something big."

He didn't mention that his 'something big' involved backstabbing the Joker, which he now probably couldn't do. The Aqua Regia he'd hoped to use on the stolen gold weighed heavily in his pocket.

"That's nice," Oswald said and Ed couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"What about you?"

"Well, you've probably heard most of my story. I'm the King of Gotham, after all."

"True. I've heard good things about the Iceberg Lounge, and I imagine it's profitable," Ed offered. Oswald nodded, "Profitable indeed. As for entertainment value, that is something you ought to decide for yourself."

"I didn't think I'd be welcome..."

"You are not any more or less welcome than any other supervillain. Don't bring the Bat to my doorstep and I won't turn you out."

"But-"

"I prefer to keep the past in the past, Riddler," Oswald bit out, cutting him off. They fell silent for a time before both decided enough was enough.

"Ed- "

"Oswald-"

They stopped, waiting for the other to continue. Oswald gestured at him, "Go on."

"You first, I insist."

"I was just going to say that, for my part, all is forgiven. I don't see you as the friend I once did, but I don't hold you to your actions. You've moved on and so should I."

"I... thank you," Ed replied, genuine emotion creeping into his voice.

"You were going to say?"

"I, well, do you remember the witch last August?"

"The spider one or the love one?"

"The, er, love one."

"Yes. Why?" Oswald asked, suddenly discovering an interest in the lint that had collected on his once impeccable suit.

"It's just, well, I was wondering what yours said. Your mark."

"..."

"Just curious. I don't really hold by it, but the concept is fascinating," he rambled, trying to save himself.

"It said 'I don't think so' but that was vague and any number of people could have said that to me so I ignored it," Oswald said, now focused on brushing the dust from his clothes.

"Oh..." Ed replied, at a loss. So it was him, but Oswald hadn't remembered. He wasn't sure what to do with that information, "Mine said 'Can I help you?' which is vague, too, but I'm pretty sure I know which instance it was referring to."

"That's nice."

Okay that time Ed was almost positive it was sarcastic. He wondered how he could tip Oswald off that they were soulmates, forgetting in that moment that a) he didn't believe in soulmates, and b) it would probably be a bad idea to provoke Oswald in that way.

"What color was yours? I did some research into it and the color seemed important, although the spell ended before my research was complete."

Oswald did look at him that time, a calculating look Ed associated with Business with a capital B.

"Green," he said after a moment, "Bright green."

"Ah. I thought so."

"You thought so?" Oh dear, that was Oswald's 'I will _literally_ murder you if I don't like what I hear in the next thirty seconds' voice. Ed swallowed hard.

"Mine was in royal purple."

"Is that so?"

When had Oswald gotten up? Had he always been so close?

"Erm, yes?"

"You don't sound too sure," Oswald breathed, barely a foot away. Ed searched his face, looking for some clue as to what he was supposed to say, but all he saw was the old fierceness that warned the Penguin would not stop until he had gotten what he wanted.

Ed was caught by surprise when Oswald grabbed his collar, yanking him down for a passionate kiss that seemed an attack in its own way. When Oswald deigned to release him, Ed felt a flicker of a grin, "I'm _positive_."

Oswald's eyes, briefly shining with the satisfaction of a man who had been waiting a lifetime, turned piercing, "You're hurt."

Ed's hand instinctively flew to the scrape he'd received when being shoved into the cell, "It's nothing."

"It could be infected," Oswald insisted, "Here, use this."

He extracted a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide from an inner pocket of his jacket. Ed stared at it, "Why didn't you say you had this?"

"What?"

"I think I can get us out of here. Just give me a minute," he said, excitement coloring his voice. He extracted a bottle and a number of packets from his own jacket, moving over to the handle-less door. He poured the contents of the first bottle on the hinges and into the crack where the deadbolt should be, hand steady with adrenaline.

"Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and salt can rust metal at an increased rate, but you should probably avoid breathing in too much. The fumes aren't particularly safe," he explained, completing the reaction by adding the other two ingredients.

Both stood back as the chemicals worked at the door, Ed preparing a screwdriver to hopefully break through the corroded metal. They were free within twenty minutes, praying to gods they didn't believe in that Batman and his associates were being kept busy by the rest of the rogues who were in on the plot.

"Ed," Oswald held out a hand to stop him when they reached the outside of the compound they were in. Ed turned to look at him, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"I hope you take me up on the invitation, but let me amend it to say that you are, in fact, more welcome than your average, run-of-the-mill Supervillain. Just to be clear."

"Understood, Mr. Penguin."


End file.
